DATE: 2018-10-23 23:00Country Name: PanamaLocation Detail: Linton BayEVENT: RobberyHAND: 2Stolen Items: Cash, wallets, credit cards, cell phones, cameras, laptops and i Pads
SECURED: Not Locked
DETAILS: A charter catamaran was boarded and robbed at gunpoint by 3 armed men, who arrived at the boat by panga at about 23:00 hrs. Stolen at gunpoint were cash, credit cards, phones, and personal electronics, etc. There were no injuries. The thieves departed in an easterly direction, toward Isla Grande.

CSSN NOTE: Details are not complete for this report, unfortunately. A similar incident apparently occurred a month earlier, as well as another on this same night, but neither were reported to CSSN with sufficient detail. Cruisers, the Linton Bay Marina staff and the Aeronaval have now instituted nighttime patrols in the area.

DATE: 2018-06-16 10:00Country Name: GrenadaLocation Detail: Grenada Mt. Hartman BayEVENT: RobberyHAND: 2Stolen Items: handbagSECURED: N/ADETAILS: Two women walking in the Dove Sanctuary were robbed of a handbag by a man wielding a machete. A police report was made. This path is used often by cruisers, and was the site of an attempted sexual assault in 2015.

DATE: 2018-05-03 21:00Country Name: ColombiaLocation Detail: CartegenaEVENT: RobberyHAND: 1Stolen Items: Cash, tablet, smartphones, camera, laptop, powerbanks, SUP paddleboardSECURED: LockedDETAILS: A yacht with 3 persons onboard arrived and anchored near the control tower at 8PM. About an hour later a small boat came alongside with 4 men armed with knives and machetes. They showed their weapons, boarded, and quickly tied up the 2 men, and sent the woman below to collect the yachts valuables (cash, smartphones, tablet ,laptop, chargers and camera). They appeared to be high, and asked for drugs (none provided). They took the SUP and departed after about 30 minutes. No one was injured.

After making a VHF call to the control tower to report the armed robbery, the crew upped anchor and moved close to the Club Nautico marina docks where there is a security patrol. A report was made the next day on the local VHF net.

DATE: 2017-04-06 20:00Country Name: HondurasLocation Detail: Guanaja Graham’s placeEVENT: RobberyHAND: 1Stolen Items: Cash, iPads, cellphone, electronics, cameras, monitors, fuel tank, propane cylinder, plus moreSECURED: Not LockedDETAILS: A yacht with 2 persons onboard anchored off Graham’s Place around 4PM , and visited the palapa ashore. They met a man who identified himself by name and then asked several questions about thier planned stay, and number of persons on board.

At 8 PM they were boarded by 4 armed men (3 – 9mm handguns, 1 rifle) ,wearing military style pants, 2 hooded, and all wearing ranger type boots. One of the men was the man they had met earlier at the palapa. The men demanded all things of value and threatened to kill the crew if they made any noise or resisited. The captain/crew complied, and the men departed with cash, electronics, iPads, cameras, cellphone, a gas tank, and a propane cylinder after threatening to return if any report was made.

CSSN does not generally include crimes committed against cruisers ashore in our database, but in some cases we do publish a NEWs item. A cruising couple visiting Bonaire provided the following firsthand report.

In the very early hours of February 7, 2016, as they were returning to the Harbour Village Marina where their boat was berthed, a cruising couple was robbed at gunpoint. They were walking along the northern portion of the waterfront “playa” road when two men yelled and approached. One held a gun and pointed it at the man, then demanded the woman drop her handbag to the ground, which she did. They backed away and the thieves grabbed the handbag (containing charge cards/cellphone). The couple was allowed to depart unharmed. A few minutes later they reached the marina and a call was made to the police, who are investigating. The victims suggest that walking in a group might have prevented this armed robbery.

Caribbean Safety and Security Net

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